Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-19


Houses That Seems To Re Sufficiently
Strengths Provisious-Texas Politics
Illustrated-A .'Paase'' in the House
Bay City Gets u Court.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. l9--The FIRST
half dozen sections OF the anti-pplyg amy
bill as it passed the senate Friday, and AS it
new goes to the president for his action, ap-
ply to prosecutions for bigamy, adultery,
etc AMI make the wife or husband a coui-
petent witness, Int not to be compelled 10
testify The seventh and eight sections re-
late to the powers of court commissioners
and of the marshal and deputy marshals.
The ninth and tenth sections, relating to tina
marriage ceremony, require certificate,
properly authenticated, to be recorded in the
cffl,e of the probate court The eleventh
section disapproves and annnls all territorial
laws recognizing the capacity of illegitlmate
Children to inherit or ba entitled to any
distributive share in tbs estate of ths
father.
The twelfth section disapproves and an
nuls territorial laws comforting jurisdiction
upon probate courts with certain exemp-
| tiou<l. The thirteenth section makes it the
duty of the attorney general of the United
S ates TO institute proceedings to escheat the
United States the property Of corpora
tions obtained or held in violation of section
| }, of the act of July, iSo3-the proceeis Of
such escheat to be applied to the use and
benefit Of common schools in the territory
The fifteenth section disapproves and an
nuls all laws of the legislative assembly Gre
ating or continuing ths perpetual Emigrating
| fund company and dissolves that corporation.
| The sixteenth section directs proceedings
for the disposition of the property and assets
| OF the Emigrating Fund company. All such
property in excess of debts and lawful claims
is to escheat to the United States for the BEN
etit of common schools in the territory.
The seventeenth section disapproves and
annuls the acts Of the legislative assembly in
cooperating or providing for the Church of
Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints, and dis
solves that corporation. 1t makes it the duty
of the attorney general of the United States
to institute legal proceedings to wind up the
affairs of the corporation.
| The eighteenth section makes provisions as
TO the endowment of widows, who are TO
have one third of the income of the estate as
their dover. Section nineteen gives to the
president the appointment of probate
| judge in each county.
Section % makes it unlawful for any
woman to vote 10 any election, and annuls
acts Of the legislative assemblies which per-
nit female suffrage.
The four next sections make provisions as
to elections, and r-quire of voters on oath or
affirmation to support the constitution and
1 ba lau he
act of March q, 1882, and section IS abol-
isles the office of territorial superintendent
of district schools and makes it the duty of
| the supreme court of the territory to appoint
a commissioner of schools.
The twenty-seventh and last section annuls
all territorial laws for the organization of
the militia, or for the creation of the Nauvoo
legion, and gives the legislative assembly of
Utah power to pass laws for organizing the
militia subject to the approval of congress.
General officers of the militia are to be ap-
pointed by the governor of the territory
with the advice and consent Of the council
In the debate in the senate Just before the
passage of this bill the opposition was not
great IN numbers but very vigorous in senti-
ment Vest said the bill would pass and be.
come law as a matter of course, but he
could not vote for it. No amount of critic
ism would affect his course as a legislator.
In his judgment the bill violated the prin-
cipie of the constitution as to rights of prop
erty. One OF the provisions was a naked
bold, simple confiscation and nothing else.
The same might be done in regard to any
other religious corporation in the country. 1t
was no answer to say that it applied only to
the Mormon church. He remembered the
time when a storm of popular madness
threatened to destroy the Roman Catholic
church; when it was proclaimed that that
church was opposed to republican form Of
government, and when it was asked that it:
property be conf seated to the United States
treasury. He would not support the test
oath provision, either
Edmunds, in reply, said that the bill pro
vIded for the payment of ali the debts of the
emigrating company and the return to the
stockholders of their Investments, and that
it was only the residue Of the property, fol
which there was no claimant, that was to b.
escheated for the use Of the common schools
The test oath required in this bill was IL
effect similar to that required of every Officer
of the United States
Hoar wanted to know if there was any
|
that attacks mere opinion separate from a
criminal act. Edmunds replied in the mega,
ltva.
Cali characterized the bill as a disgrace t
the statute book and second step toward
the establishment of rel g,ou' persecution
and intolerance. He declared that the pro
vision depriving iiiegltlmlte children of a
share in the property Of their father was more
cruel and inhuman than anything the Span
ish ira isstion had done a wiser lawg vel
than the senator from Vermont had written
on the ground when the aduiterous woman
was brought before him: LET him who is
without sin cast the first stone This legis
lation was fanatical attack ON the relig OF
Of Christ
Hoar said be had voted against the bill be.
fore, because it abolished woman suffrage il
Utah. He thought that provision uaJusttia
bic and tyranl:cil, and he would vote a5ains
the repor
M0Rk nE HCNCpAI IMTEpcCT